


None of his kind

by Thaum



Series: Of elves and men [3]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Dancing, Feast of Starlight, Fluff, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 04:09:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14127753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thaum/pseuds/Thaum
Summary: "He is not like them". The wizard studied the man who very obviously nailed it and sighed. "No. He's never been."King Bard conquers puberty and is bored at an elven festival in the palace until he gets an too revealing insight from Gandalf into Thranduil, he wasn't exactly expecting.





	None of his kind

**Author's Note:**

> English isn't my first language. Be nice.

The whole ordeal was an awfully official one. Bard and his two eldest children had been welcomed at the feast of starlight which was the highest celebration of the elves of the woodlands. Delegations of Rivendell and Lorien had arrived two days prior and even Gandalf had been invited. Or he had invited himself. Bard wasn't quite sure, but considering the reaction of the Elvenking as he showed up, it seemed likely. He for his part still wasn't used to all this pomp and could do well without it. What was the point in wearing this.. thing..? He picked at his velvet surcot. It was unpractically delicate and did absolutely nothing for him to feel more adequate. When he looked at all the graceful elves he came to the conclusion, that it wouldn't make any difference at all, if he wore a sac. Preferably over his head.

"He has more magic in his little finger, than Gandalf in all of his body," Sigrid declared, interrupting his thoughts and Bain rolled his eyes. Bard knew, where this discussion was leading and sighed.

"Well, maybe you should be careful then. Maybe your woodland princess can read your thoughts." 

Sigrid hit her brothers arm and blushed the deepest shade of purple imaginable. "He is a great warrior! You will never be half the man he is, you are just jealous, absolutely pathetic."

Bain studied his fingernails. "Hmm.. I guess he spents as much time with his hair as with slaying orcs."

Bard chuckled and took a hasty sip of his wine when Sigrid glared at him. She had been a complete mess the whole week. Trying on every dress she owned, suffering through fruitless attemps to straighten her beautiful curly hair and staring into the mirror for hours on end.

"Don't panic, it doesn't matter. I don't think, he even knows you exist."

Sigrid had tears in her eyes and Bard cleared his throat. "That's enough Bain. Don't be such a prick, do you hear me?" Bain mumbled something under his breath and looked at the dancers again. Bard knew, his son was just uncomfortable as well and tried to hide it with his sniding remarks.

"May I ask for this dance?"

Bard, who had just started to entertain the idea of spending the evening as a victim of puberty, turned his head and took a good look at his saviour, standing in all his glory in front of their table. He bowed low to his daughter and offered her his hand and a smile that would have melted an iceberg in the midst of winter.

"You are way too beautiful to sit around all evening without taking part."

Sigrid stared at Thranduil, obviously completely paralysed while Bains mouth hung open. Bard had a very hard time to suppress an absolutely unappropriate fit of laughter. He poked his daughter in the side. "Of course she will dance, won't you Sigrid?"

Sigrid awoke from her stupor and a radiating smile started to grace her features. Bard couldn't look away. She looked exactly like her mother.

"If I had known you would be that eager to dance, I would have asked you myself", he said and waved her away with a melancholic expression. "But I am not old enough yet, to not realize, when I lose out. Go ahead!"

Sigrid dropped a curtsy at the Elvenking and let herself being led away to the probably most exciting moments of her entire life. At least, if her facial expression meant anything. Bard thought, she looked absolutely breathtaking. His son on the other hand, gave a rather daft impression at the very moment.

"You may close your mouth now. It doesn't look very intelligent." Bard leaned conspiratorially closer and lowered his voice. "By the way, I am quite sure, he cannot read minds, but I have to warn you: the hearing of elves is exceptionally sharp."

Bain thought of his last recent words and blanched considerably. "Oh shit."

Bard smiled at his son. "Yeah. Believe me, I know how you feel. Your sister does a good job, but we both should try to look and behave a little more _royal_."

Bain went even paler. "You don't mean, I have to ask a.. a.. ", he gestured vaguely into the room, "I have to..  _dance_?" His voice died away in horror.

Bards smile widened predatory and he tried to remember how it had been to be a teenager. When dying of embarrassment by speaking to a beautiful girl seemed as possible, as dying by getting cut into pieces in a heroic battle. And at least twice as frightening. It had to be ages ago. He decided, that his punishment wasn't quite over yet. "Well.. it would be fitting, if you would dance with an elf-maiden."

Bain seemed to start harbouring suicidal thoughts, and Bard prepared his final stroke as he casually slouched back in his chair.

"Of course, only if Sigrid wasn't right and you _are_ in fact jealous. Maybe you're waiting for the fair king to ask you for a dance as well?"

Bains eyes widened and Bard was sure, he would never see his son hitting the dancefloor that fast again.

After a while, Gandalf approached him and sat down. "You are not dancing?"

Bard raised a brow at him. "Oh, not you, too. You're not asking me, aren't you?" 

Gandalf grinned. "No."

"Good. No, I am sticking to the wine. Wouldn't have thought, there would be a day, when I sit in the Elvenkings halls, drinking the stuff I shipped back and forth all the years." He raised his goblet and savoured the taste of the heavy deep red liquid.

"Your children are enjoying themselves, as it seems."

Bard searched the room with his eyes. Bain had given up on dancing after a few songs and was now discussing with a few younger elves. He had been given a bow and was examining it closely. Sigrid was still dancing with changing partners, once Thranduil gave her away. Although she threw adoring glances at him from time to time. However, in the meantime Thranduil had joined the high table and sat tensely between the Lady of Lothlorien and Lord Elrond and was obviously very.. well.. if he would be human, Bard had used the phrase "pissed off". But he wasn't and so he was surely misinterpreting. Lord Elrond said something and Thranduil emptied his glass and reached for the decanter to refill it. Bard watched him silently for a while, sipping at his own goblet.

"He is not like them," he finally commented.

The wizard studied the man who very obviously nailed it and sighed. "No. He's never been."

"Is that a good thing?"

Gandalf stared at the high table. "That depends. For his people it's a blessing. For himself? Not at all. And for the rest of us it can be amusing but mostly it's a real pain in the ass.. forgive me my dwarfish. I once witnessed Lord Elrond smashing a door during an argument with him. He is able to grind down three thousand years of impersonated composure into cookie crumbs by a single remark. Oh, he is intelligent, and in spite of his temper I occasionally really enjoy a good conversation with him. But his quick wits truly are a double-edged blade." He chuckled. "The last time he visited Lorien, he got rather drunk and declared himself "The King of Oak and Beech" to stop Celeborn bragging about his mallorn trees. He cannot stand the High Elves looking down at his people. Although he is one himself by blood. But you're right. He isn't like them. Not at all."

Bard smiled fondly. "No, he is fairly special."

Gandalf watched him joyfully and his eyes started to twinkle. "You could say so.. if I remember right", he continued und started to grin like a madman, "he took a bath in a holy fountain later, completely naked, told then Celeborn - and this is a quote - where to stick his _lofty_ - Eru his face was just priceless - guest quarters, and accompanied his guards to sleep in the woods on the ground. Needless to say, diplomatic relations have suffered a little for the next few years."

Bard choked and the evening ended - under the eyes of a tears laughing wizard - in a former bowmans epic coughing attack, an irritated, glaring king with an exceptional sharp hearing and a mortified golden Lady who - unfortunatley - _could_ read minds.


End file.
